Officials: Garrett Reid Died Of Accidental Heroin Overdose

EASTON, Pa. (CBS) -– The son of Eagles head coach Andy Reid died of an accidental heroin overdose, officials announced today.

The announcement was during a news conference conducted by Northampton County district attorney John Morganelli (center of photo).

Garrett Reid was found dead in his dorm room on August 5th at Lehigh University in Easton, Pa., where he was assisting the team’s strength and conditioning coach during training camp (see related story).

Morganelli said Reid died as the result of a self-inflicted overdose of heroin. The manner of death was ruled “accidental.”

Reid was a drug addict who had seemingly turned his life around. But Andy Reid indicated that his 29-year-old son may have had a relapse.

Northampton County coroner Zachary Lysek (at right in photo) said numerous syringes and needles were discovered in a gym bag in Garrett Reid’s room.

Morganelli, the DA, said that investigators found 47 syringes and 65 needles in the younger Reid’s gym bag, many of them unopened. A doctor tried to revive him using a defibrillator.

“We are confident today that Mr. Reid’s death was the result of a self-injected lethal dose of heroin,” he said.

He also said that besides the heroin, investigators found 19 vials of an unknown liquid, but did not say what they contained.

“We’re not sure, exactly, what those substances are at this time,” he said, adding they were also in the bag but had nothing to do with Garrett Reid’s death.

Morganelli said the investigation is now trying to determine from whom Garrett Reid got the narcotics and the drug paraphernalia.

“In order for me to feel completely satisfied that everything was done on this, I want to take a look at that,” he said. “And if we can determine it, great, and then we’ll see what it looks like. If there’s any individuals that ought to be charged… I don’t know if that will occur or not.”

He says they are going over Reid’s cell phone records.

Reid’s drug addiction became public when he was involved in a car crash in Montgomery County five years ago and spent time behind bars.

The Reid family issued a short statement this afternoon that said:

“These results sadly confirmed what we had expected all along. We understood that Garrett’s long-standing battle with addiction was going to be difficult. He will, however, always have our family’s love and respect for the courage he showed in trying to overcome it. In the end, we take comfort in our faith and know that he’s in a better place. We miss Garrett. We miss his smile, his laugh, and his energy and we will forever love him.

“There are many other individuals and families engaged in this struggle in their own lives, and they will always have our support, encouragement, and understanding. Never give up!”

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Brad Segall is midday anchor for KYW Newsradio 1060.
A longtime presence in Philadelphia radio news, Segall served for a decade as KYW Newsradio's suburban bureau chief.
He won the 2006 Associated Press Sandy Starobin Award for Individual...